Hercules DJ Control AIR – Gimmick Or Sign of The Future? [VIDEO]

This just in, the DJs of tomorrow will no longer even have to touch the turntables! WTF, you say? Yes, you heard correctly, if you think DJing is easy now, just wait until you see what we have here!

Ok, I’m exagerating, but Hercules new DJ Control AIR really can be manipulated, sans hands. Apparently, the unit uses infra-red which allows controlling of either the mix or special effecs, they don’t really say, by simply waving your hands over it.

Though, there is a video, which we have embedded along with the specs as listed on the official Hercules site, there is still not much to go on here. We do now it is compatible on both Windows and Mac operating systems, and runs the never before heard DJUCED DJ software, but we don’t have a price, as the site doesn’t have it listed as one of its products on its own Where to buy page.

Though it looks gimmicky and kind of cheap, I have to admit, I like the potential of the concept. DJs obviously use thier hands, alot, but this could potentially give a whole new meaning to throw your hands in the air!

2-deck DJ controller

2 jog wheels with pressure detection

Velocity sensitive pads

Air control: 1 contactless control

Pressure-detecting jog wheels

Scratch by pressing on the jog wheels, as naturally as with a vinyl record

Jog wheels also control pitch bend and browsing within tracks

8 pads with velocity detection

The pads control the sampler, loops and effects

The inner backlight shows the pads’ activation

Pads can be set as binary On/Off controls, or gradual controls

Air control: a contactless sensor lets you control the mix from above, without even touching the device

DJ Control Air converts the distance to your hand into a MIDI command

No need to touch the controller: one command of the mix without any physical contact

Compatible with all light conditions

Built-in audio outputs for mixing and previewing tracks

1/8″ (3.5 mm) stereo mini-jack output for the mix

1/4″ (6.35 mm) stereo jack output for previewing tracks

Technical specifications

Air control

Why is the controller called DJ Control Air?

Air stands for Adjustment by InfraRed: it is a contactless control.

The DJ places his or her hand flat over the infrared beam.

The controller calculates the distance between the sensor and the hand, and converts it into a gradual MIDI command.

This MIDI command modulates a setting in the DJ software.

Does Air control require specific light conditions?

No, Air control functions under any light conditions.

The infrared light beam projected towards the hand is invisible.

The sensor captures the infrared reflection on the hand, and uses the reflection to calculate the hand’s distance.

The reflection is the same in both daylight and low light conditions, allowing Air control to be used during the day, at night or in places with weak lighting.

Air control functions with all flesh tones. The only incompatibility is the use of black gloves (as the infrared sensor would not be able to detect the reflection).

8 pads

2 sets of 4 pads control loops, sampler and effects commands.

The DJ taps on the pads with his or her fingertips to send commands such as looping, sampler or effects.

The pads light up when touched.

In addition to a binary On/Off command, each pad can transfer velocity information to modulate the command.

For example: in sampler mode, the velocity can control the volume of a sample’s playback. The playback volume depends on how soft or how hard the DJ taps on the pad.

Pressure-detecting jog wheels

The jog wheels detect the pressure from the user’s hand.

With scratch mode enabled, the jog wheels scratch when the hand’s weight is detected, and stop scratching when the hand’s weight is no longer detected. This allows the DJ to:

stop playback by pressing on the jog wheel.

restart playback by lifting up his or her hand.

scratch by turning the jog wheel while pressing down, and stop scratching by lifting up his or her hand.

bend the pitch (if playback is on) / browse within tracks (if playback is off) by turning the jog wheels using their outer ring, to avoid applying downward pressure.

With scratch mode disabled, the jog wheels bend the pitch or browse within tracks when the jog wheels are turned, regardless of the pressure applied.